Make Burger King’s Char-Grilled Menu Favorites At Home Without the Meat

There’s no doubt that Burger King is one of the more vegan-friendly fast-food chains in the world. But if you’re not in the mood for the drive-thru, or you’re trying to save money, it is possible to make the fast-food chain’s best sellers from scratch. This includes plant-based favorites like the Impossible Whopper, but you can also recreate its meaty classics, too, using entirely plant-based ingredients. Find out how below.

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Is Burger King vegan now?

In short, no. Burger King is far from vegan. Per statistics platform Enterprise Apps Today, the fast-food chain’s number one seller is its Whopper, which features a flame-grilled beef patty. In fact, on average, Burger King sells more than 2 billion Whoppers every single year. But that said, in the last few years, the fast-food giant has shown significant commitment to serving more plant-based options. 

In the US, for example, the Impossible Whopper—a plant-based take on its iconic Whopper burger made with vegan meat from Impossible Foods—has been a menu mainstay since 2019. It’s not totally vegan, but it can be easily adapted to suit vegan tastes (it’s as simple as ordering it without the mayonnaise).

Burger King

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In the UK, diners can also grab a meat-free Whopper, or opt for the Vegan Royale with vegan chicken from the Dutch brand The Vegetarian Butcher. In multiple locations around the world, including London and Portugal’s capital of Lisbon, the chain has even trialed 100 percent meat-free pop-ups.

“Burger King is expanding its plant-based menus in different countries to offer tasty alternatives for everyone who would like a substitute to animal meat without sacrificing on the unmatched BK taste,” Burger King’s Head of International Marketing, Sabrina Ferretti, told VegNews back in 2022. “Our ultimate goal is to position Burger King as the leader and go-to for the best-tasting plant-based food in the quick-service restaurant industry.”

Burger King Portugal

When it comes to vegan-friendly options in the mainstream fast-food scene, let’s say Burger King deserves its crown. But the fast-food favorite’s menu is still stacked with beef burgers, chicken, bacon, and cheese. If you’re craving a meaty bite without the animal products, here’s how to make Burger King from scratch using only plants. 

How to make Burger King from home: 5 vegan recipes

Whip up these Burger King classics without the animal ingredients. 

Deliciously Made From Plants

1 Vegan Impossible Whopper

It’s easy to roll up to a Burger King drive-thru and ask for an Impossible Whopper without the mayonnaise, but if you’re in the mood to cook, you can also create this popular menu item from home. Grab the burger buns and give this recipe from Deliciously Made From Plants a spin. The not-so-secret ingredient? Liquid smoke. “To achieve the flavor of a Whopper as best as you can, I recommend adding liquid smoke,” says recipe creator Audrey. “[The] Whopper’s characteristic flavor is flame-broiled, and the liquid smoke can help to achieve that.”
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Gousto

2 Plant-Based Bacon Cheeseburger

Many of Burger King’s iconic menu items are loaded with bacon. There’s the Bacon King, the Bacon Melt, the BBQ Bacon Whopper Jr, the list goes on. The chain has experimented with a vegan bacon burger (in 2022, it launched a vegan bacon burger for the first time in France), but it has yet to hit the US. Still, the good news is, you can make an ultra-tasty plant-based bacon cheeseburger at home. Follow this “epic” and “unbelievable” recipe from Gousto to learn more.
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3 Vegan Burger King Chick’n Sandwich

Another popular Burger King menu item is its Original Chicken Sandwich, which features a breaded chicken fillet, lettuce, and mayonnaise all in a sesame seed bun. If you’re in the UK, you can grab a vegan version from the fast-food chain, but it has not yet landed in the US. Instead, check out this juicy vegan version from confessed former chicken sandwich-lover Brian Watson of Thee Burger Dude. “These things were super salty, had too much mayo, and best of all, they were on a hoagie roll, so how could I resist?” he writes. “These days I make them at home and I enjoy them way more.”
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4 Vegan Chick’n Fries

Watson didn’t stop at the vegan chicken sandwich, he has also created a plant-based version of another Burger King favorite: chicken fries. “I never tried these before going vegan, mostly because I thought they were a silly gimmick,” he says. “But after making them, I can see why everyone loves them.”
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Nora Cooks

5 Vegan Mozzarella Sticks

At Burger King, mozzarella sticks are called “mozzarella fries,” but they’re essentially the same as the OG sticks, just with a different name. The chain has yet to dabble with a vegan mozzarella option, but that’s fine because until then, there are homemade vegan mozzarella sticks, like these from Nora Cooks. “[These] stretchy, gooey, vegan mozzarella sticks taste just like the version you ate as a kid,” says recipe creator Nora Taylor. “Better yet, they’re super easy to make at home.”
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